Electrical circuit elements are commonly housed in packages having a plurality of leads disposed in an array. One such package is a dual-in-line package (DIP) having two rows of leads extending from opposite sides thereof and bent downwardly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,296 discloses a DIP socket for removably mounting a DIP on a circuit board. This socket includes contacts each made from a single piece of metal which is formed into a generally U-shaped configuration. Each of the contacts has dual leaves which provide metal to metal contact on opposite sides of each lead of the DIP.
There is often a need to connect an auxiliary electrical circuit component to the DIP socket along with the DIP package itself. For example, decoupling capacitors are often needed to prevent electrical damage to an integrated circuit package in the event that the package is withdrawn from the socket when power is on.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,633 discloses a DIP socket having a capacitor attached thereto. The socket utilizes contacts of the aforementioned configuration for engaging leads of the DIP and has a further pair of single piece auxiliary contacts dedicated to terminating leads of the capacitor. Each of the auxiliary contacts has a slot which is dimensioned to grip one of the leads of the capacitor between walls of the slot. The auxiliary contacts are housed in the socket with their solder tails being abutted against respective solder tails of power and ground contacts in the socket.
There are a number of problems associated with this socket. The primary contacts and the auxiliary contacts are inserted into the socket from opposite directions, thereby increasing manufacturing complexity. Alignment of paired primary and auxiliary contacts is critical in order to achieve good surface contact between the abutting solder tails, and binding can occur during contact insertion which may distort one contact or flare the solder tails apart. Further, the abutting solder tails comprise an additional electrical interconnection having the potential for failure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,188 discloses another DIP socket and capacitor assembly. The socket housing has a plurality of primary cavities each of which receives a contact. A pair of the primary cavities each have a secondary cavity formed adjacent and contiguous thereto for receiving a lead of the capacitor. When a contact is inserted into one of the pair of primary cavities an interference fit is formed with the lead in the secondary cavity. There is an additional manufacturing cost associated with forming the secondary cavities and ensuring that they are aligned with their respective primary cavities to within close tolerances.
It would be economically advantageous to provide a socket with a capacitor or other auxiliary electrical component mounted thereon without the need for special contacts or cavities in the socket.